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Prophylactic salpingo-oophorectomy (PSO) can be offered to all patients suffering from colorectal cancer to prevent ovarian metastasis (OM). Arguments to offer PSO are given for discussion: 1. PSO for colorectal cancer is mentioned in various guidelines, 2. Other disciplines such as gynecology and urology, offer or routinely perform PSO during abdominal surgery, 3. A better prognosis could be achieved, 4. It has been shown that systemic therapy has limited effects on OM, since ovaria are considered to be 'sanctuary sites', 5. In postmenopausal women negative side effects of PSO are expected to be very low, 6. PSO for prevention of OM is thought to be a cost effective oncological procedure, 7. Reducing the risk of the occurrence of primary ovarian cancer could be a positive side effect, and 8. It is part of 'shared decision making'.

Objective: To describe and interpret recent changes in lung cancer mortality and incidence, and changes in smoking prevalence among young and middle-aged women in The Netherlands., Design: Secondary data analysis., Method: Mortality data were collected from Statistics Netherlands (CBS; 1960-2006), data on the incidence were obtained from The Netherlands Cancer Registry (NCR; 1989-2003), and data on smoking prevalence were collected from the Dutch Foundation on Smoking and Health (STIVORO; 1988-2007). Mortality and incidence rates were calculated for four age groups (20-44, 45-49, 50-54 and 55-59 years). Changes in trends in mortality and smoking prevalence were examined using joinpoint regression and birth cohort analysis., Results: Since the 1960s, lung cancer mortality and incidence has increased dramatically among women in The Netherlands. In the mid-1990s, lung cancer mortality and incidence rates in young women (aged < 50 years) surpassed those in men. Mortality rates in young women (aged 20-49 years) increased 4-6% annually. However, these rates started to stabilise since 1999. Among women born after 1950, mortality rates and smoking prevalence have decreased., Conclusion: An end to the lung cancer epidemic in women in The Netherlands is in sight. The first indications are the recent reduction in mortality and incidence among young women, particularly in women born after 1950. In the future, this reduction is expected to translate into a stabilisation or modest decrease in total lung cancer mortality and incidence.

Objective: To quantify right-ventricular dysfunction and the pulmonary artery obstruction index, in patients with acute pulmonary embolism, using helical CT, and to assess the prognostic value of these parameters., Design: Prospective., Method: In 120 consecutive patients with proven acute pulmonary embolism, the extent of right-ventricular dysfunction was assessed by quantifying the ratios of the right to left-ventricular short-axis diameters (RV/LV ratio) and the extent ofobstruction ofthe pulmonary-artery circulation by using helical CT images. Regression analysis was used to correlate these parameters with patient outcome., Results: Right-ventricular dysfunction (RV/LV ratio > 1.0) was seen in 69 patients (57.5%). Seven patients died as a direct result of pulmonary embolism. Both the RV/LV ratio and the obstruction index were significant risk factors for mortality within three months (p = 0.04 and 0.01 respectively). The positive predictive value for pulmonary embolism-related mortality of an RV/LV ratio > 1.0 was 10.1% (95% CI: 2.9-17.4). The negative predictive value for an uneventful outcome of an RV/LV ratio < or = 1.0 was 100% (95% CI: 94.3-100). There was a 11.2-fold risk of dying of pulmonary embolism in patients with an obstruction index > or = 40% (95% CI: 1.3-93.6)., Conclusion: Markers of right-ventricular dysfunction and pulmonary vascular obstruction, assessed by helical CT-examination at baseline, help to predict mortality during follow-up of patients with acute pulmonary embolism.